Is the Feick's Dwarf Boa venomous?

No. The Feick's Dwarf Boa (Tropidophis feicki) is non-venomous and is not considered dangerous to humans. Like most snakes, it will retreat rather than bite when given the chance.

Is the Feick's Dwarf Boa poisonous?

Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Feick's Dwarf Boa is neither poisonous nor venomous.

Is the Feick's Dwarf Boa dangerous?

The Feick's Dwarf Boa is not dangerous to humans. It has no medically significant venom and bites only defensively if cornered or handled.

Tropidophiidae

Feick's Dwarf Boa

Harmless

Tropidophis feicki

2 photographs of the Feick's Dwarf Boa. (c) Valentin Moser, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Valentin Moser.

The Feick's Dwarf Boa (Tropidophis feicki) is a non-venomous snake in the Tropidophiidae family.

Family: Tropidophiidae

About the Feick's Dwarf Boa

Tropidophis feicki, also known commonly as the broad-banded dwarf boa, the broad-banded trope, and Feick's dwarf boa, is a species of non-venomous snake in the family Tropidophiidae. The species is endemic to Cuba.

Etymology

The specific name, feicki, is in honor of American biologist John R. Feick.

Description

T. feicki males can grow to 41 cm (16 in) snout-to-vent length (SVL), and females to 45 cm (18 in) SVL. There are 217–235 ventral scales and 34–41 subcaudal scales. The dorsal ground color is grey or pink. There is a saddle pattern dorsally, but no ventral pattern.

Geographic range

T. feicki is found in western Cuba, from Pedrera de Mendoza and Guane, Pinar del Río Province, east to Pan de Matanzas, Matanzas Province.

Habitat

The preferred habitat of T. feicki is rocky areas such as upland caves, cliffs, and talus deposits, within forest, at altitudes from sea level to 400 m (1,300 ft).

Behavior

T. feicki is arboreal.

Diet

T. feicki preys upon small species of lizards.

Reproduction

T. feicki is viviparous.

Adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.

Frequently asked: Feick's Dwarf Boa

Is the Feick's Dwarf Boa venomous?: No. The Feick's Dwarf Boa (Tropidophis feicki) is non-venomous and is not considered dangerous to humans. Like most snakes, it will retreat rather than bite when given the chance.
Is the Feick's Dwarf Boa poisonous?: Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Feick's Dwarf Boa is neither poisonous nor venomous.
Is the Feick's Dwarf Boa dangerous?: The Feick's Dwarf Boa is not dangerous to humans. It has no medically significant venom and bites only defensively if cornered or handled.
What does the Feick's Dwarf Boa eat?: T. feicki preys upon small species of lizards.
Why is it called the Feick's Dwarf Boa?: The specific name, feicki, is in honor of American biologist John R. Feick.

More Tropidophiidae snakes

Classification

How scientists group this snake, from the broadest category down to the exact species. Each step narrows to its closest relatives.

OrderThe broad group of scaled reptiles: all snakes and lizards: Squamata
FamilyA group of related snakes that share key traits: Tropidophiidae
GenusA close-knit group of very similar species: Tropidophis
SpeciesThis exact snake, named in the two-part scientific name: Tropidophis feicki

Keep learning

Distribution from GBIF & iNaturalist. Venom status per CDC. Background: Wikipedia. Informational only. Never handle a snake to identify it.